HORSE COLLAR TACKLES Prepared and Presented By : Ross Saunders, Ottawa, Ontario.

How it all came about Unofficially called the Roy Williams Rule Who is Roy Williams? Born on August 14, Played on Oklahoma Sooners. Drafted 1 st round, 8 th overall in the 2002 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys. Position is Free Safety, currently a free agent

History Williams used the tactic where he would grab the back inside of the opponents shoulder pad or jersey, and then yank the opponent down from the back of the jersey. In 2004 the tactic resulted in six major injuries (Four by Williams) in the NFL.

Tyrone Calico, WR Tennessee, On Calico sprained both knees and missed three regular season games. He had surgery on his left knee after aggravating an ACL injury sustained in High School, Jamal Lewis, RB Baltimore, On he sprained his left ankle missing the game and also missing the next two games Musa Smith, RB Baltimore, On Musa suffered a compound fracture of the right tibia when his ankle got caught in the turf and took the weight of his body and Williams’ on the tackle,

The most famous of the three injuries was the one to Philadelphia Receiver Terrell Owens who when his foot struck the ground, suffered torn ligaments and the right fibula snapped about 4” below the knee as the pressure was exerted up the leg. Williams was fined one game and $35,000 for the hit as he was deemed a “repeat offender” by the NFL

Lower Leg Tibia Fibula Ankle Ligaments

What a horse collar tackle does to the body? “Speed, mass and rotation those are the factors” “It’s more physics than anything but also the playing surface and the length of the cleats” “There’s a significant twisting component to that tackling technique. You grab on and spin for dear life. That spinning is what rotates the ankle, what rotates the spine, what rotates the knee and maybe that’s what’s giving you the higher injury rate” Dr. T.O. Souryal, Dallas Mavericks

Looks Like A Horse Collar But Is Not Tackle happens in the close line play area, horse collar must happen in the open field, Tackle starts off as a horse tackle but the defender lets go before the tackle is completed but the player still goes down, Tackler catches the underside of the helmet, not the shoulder pads or face guard,

Penalty 15 yard penalty Could also be a disqualification if the player deliberately tried to injure the player